One might think that the much-touted “renewal” in Catholic life ushered in by the Second Vatican Council would have significantly increased the number of priestly vocations. The statistical analysis of data seems to present a drastically different picture. When one expresses concern over the sudden loss of vocations they are answered with assurances that “it’s only temporary,” and “we’re no longer in decline.” It is impossible to reconcile these reassurances with the reality of the situation. Vocations have dwindled to a near-halt in one formerly Catholic region after another. In Ireland a record low of 12 young men entered seminary in 2012. [2] In Belgium only 14 priests were to be ordained in 2014, and in Corsica there is just one young man preparing for ordination. [3]

What can we learn from the situation at this point? It will be the aim of this paper to gain a better understanding of the current state of affairs using the available statistics.  READ MORE HERE